This week Armenia was shaken with the wiretapping and dissemination of a phone conversation, about The “March 1” case, between the chiefs of National Security Service and the Special Investigation Service, which are considered the most important and sensitive governmental bodies in the country. The appearance of the recording on the Internet was a warning to the authorities that supporters of the former regime are still within the apparatus of these bodies and have the means and the tools to carry out such actions, even within the country’s most secretive services.
Commenting on the release of the tape, it was noteworthy that Robert Kocharian’s office issued a long statement in which Prime Minister Nigol Pashinian and his government were accused of political persecution. The statement urged the society “Not to let Armenia turn from a democratic country into a hostile and failed state.”
These words about a “democratic country” are used by a man during whose term in office 39 political killing were committed, two major crimes, “October 27” and “March 1” took place, opposition activists were imprisoned, independent TV stations were closed and international human rights organizations classified Armenia among “non free” nations.
Kocharian thinks that the memory of the people is so short that his rhetoric will be appealing to some. Actually, the people of Armenia, who overthrew the dictatorial regime few short months ago, are demanding that the new government resort to more drastic measures to completely eliminate the remnants of the former government, because the failure of the revolution will not only be the failure of Pashinian, but the entire Armenian nation.
Instead of making such ridiculous calls, let Kocharyan and his followers be grateful that they are living in a new Armenia. Otherwise, they would have been in prison from day one, and their wealth, which was amassed through illegal means, would have been confiscated and not used to undermine the foundations of the state.
“MASSIS”
